World Politics3 min(s) read
Australia’s PM caught asking top minister about his penis in awkward hot mic moment
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was caught asking a senior minister a rather personal question about his manhood during an awkward hot-mic moment at a major climate summit.
The 63-year-old leader was attending the COP31 climate conference in Türkiye on Friday when cameras captured him having an unexpectedly crude conversation with Energy Minister Chris Bowen about where they keep their mobile phones.
The conversation, recorded by 7News during a break between delegations, began innocently enough before taking a surprising turn.
"Do you keep your phone here?" Albanese asked Bowen, putting his hand to the left breast pocket of his blazer jacket. Bowen then responded: "Generally, yeah."
Prime Minister's cheeky question sparks laughter
The leader then warned Bowen to stop putting his phone in his pocket, which is close to his heart, due to the dangers of emitting radiation.
Bowen appeared less concerned about keeping his phone near his heart, revealing that another part of his body was a bigger priority.
"I’m more conscious of... I stopped putting it in my pants pocket," he said.
"Because of your d**k?" Albanese asked, laughing. Bowen then chuckled and agreed, saying: "Because of my d**k."
"That’s rather important… arguably more important than the heart," he said.
The pair then broke out into laughter, unaware that their conversation had been picked up by a microphone and cameras.
A video of the conversation quickly sparked mixed reactions online, with online users divided over the politicians' candid exchange.
"Incredibly embarrassing," one user reacted.
Another user saw the funny side: "I think it will be the high point in the middle of a very boring event."
However, a third was less amused, writing: "Pathetic and embarrassing. They are our 'leaders'?
Greta Thunberg takes aim at Australia's climate record
The exchange came as Albanese's government faced criticism over Australia's climate policies at the same international summit.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg also made headlines at COP31 after delivering a scathing assessment of Australia's progress on tackling climate change.
The 23-year-old was speaking to more than 100 reporters and supporters at an event on Thursday when she asked about claims that Australia had been too slow to act on climate change.
"I think even a snail would agree with that," she told reporters. "It’s common sense, it doesn’t get more clear than that."
Thunberg also accused countries hosting the annual United Nations climate negotiations of using the international gathering to improve their reputations.
"It is a hypocrisy every year that the host countries are given an opportunity to whitewash themselves," she said in a video posted by SBS on Instagram.
Albanese responded to Thunberg's criticism by defending his government's environmental commitments.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, he said he had not seen the activist's comments but acknowledged that she was "entitled to her views".
"What we are doing is putting forward practical plans to achieve a considerable decrease. Our target, of course, is 43 per cent reduction by 2030 and we are making substantial progress," he added.